IHOP and two other restaurants are planning new locations at Newport Pavilion, bringing the 56-acre site closer to being fully leased.

Construction could begin in a few weeks if plans are approved for IHOP's freestanding building near Tire Discounters, said Greg Tulley, Newport's development services director.

Meanwhile, another national restaurant tenant has signed a letter of intent to occupy a 12,000-square-foot building near T.J.Maxx, which opens May 15, said Roger Watson, partner of Hyde Park-based Anchor Associates.

A third restaurant operator has signed a letter of intent at a 6,000-square-foot building just north of Dick's Sporting Goods, Watson said. He declined to name the restaurants.

Watson said the new tenants will complement the 27 restaurants, shops and banks already at Newport Pavilion. Other restaurants include Chick-fil-A, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread and Buffalo Wild Wings.

Initially called Newport Promenade, Newport Pavilion has gone through fits and starts since planning began in the early 2000s. In 2009, Kroger was the only store there. Now, Watson said the site could be fully leased by the end of 2014. All tenant facilities could be complete and in use by spring 2015.

"We went through a lot of tough times and some difficulties," Tulley said. "What I always kept saying is, 'Failure is not an option.'"

Newport Pavilion sits west of Interstate 471 between Memorial Parkway and Carothers Road. The 477,000-square-foot shopping plaza that includes Target, Dick's Sporting Goods and PetSmart sits in what was a largely residential part of the Cote Brilliante neighborhood.

The development has given the city another strong commercial corridor outside of the popular riverfront attraction Newport-on-the-Levee and Newport shopping centers near Monmouth Street and Carothers Road.

Tulley said employment impact has been a boon for the area too. As of June 2013, about 256 people worked at Newport Pavilion businesses, according to data from the city's finance department. That number could have nearly doubled with at least 13 businesses opening since that time.

Representatives from developer Al. Neyer were among the first to reach the city with interest in adding commercial space where Newport Pavilion now sits. In the early 2000s, there were nearly 100 homes, two churches and a bar in the development area, Tulley said.

The project eventually continued under Neyer Properties development official John Stevens, who had previously worked for Al. Neyer. Neyer Properties eventually shelved plans for the commercial development, but continued to pursue developing an upscale Wiedemann Hill residential community.

The effort to assemble parcels for development took several years as some residents sought to challenge the land sales and the city's ability to use eminent domain to move the project forward.

After Neyer Properties decided to no longer pursue retail, Tulley said the city spent about four years to engage a developer to lead the commercial part of the project. Eventually, a company called Bear Creek Capital was interested and picked to take it on.

Although the now defunct Bear Creek Capital ended up having financial issues and other problems, the Great Recession hit and the economy's problems slowed down project development.

The Newport Pavilion land remains city-owned but Anchor formed the local investor group that bought the debt secured by the development in late December 2011.

"It's been fabulous working with Anchor," Tulley said. "They've brought in wonderful tenants. It's become a great center. It does get a lot of activity."

Terry DeMio and Amanda Van Benschoten contributed.

Watson also said the site could be fully leased by the end of 2014. He said all tenant facilities could be complete and in use by spring 2015.

Watson also said the site could be fully leased by the end of 2014. He said all tenant facilities could be complete and in use by spring 2015.

Watson also said the site could be fully leased by the end of 2014. He said all tenant facilities could be complete and in use by spring 2015.